Search the Community

Aaaarrgghhh I can’t take it anymore!!! The Messerschmitt Me 262B-1a/U1 By Airfix 1/72 Good evening you lot. I’d like to welcome you to my first build of 2020. 😇 As the title suggests “Aaaarrrgghhh I can’t take it anymore !!“ I’m talking about the kit I’m currently finishing off. It’s one of those Sci-Fi jobbies. There’s just no glue, fit issues, learning new stuff, banter, all the stuff I love about modelling. It’s looking good but all I seem to be doing is disassembling parts I’ve already assembled and painting said bits on sticks before assembling again. I don’t know what it is but I need an Aeroplane in my life. So watching @CedB’s recent mottled wonder I checked the stash and found this. I picked it up from Ian Allen In Brum before it closed. 75% off which going by the price on it it must have cost £4.75. ( Happy and sad in equal measure ) I’ve wanted to learn about this beauty for ages and now seems like a perfect opportunity. 😍🤩 Join me if you will for a kick start to the new year and a mottled wonder. If she turns out as good as Ced‘s one I’ll be happy. I don’t even know how to do a mottle but it’s going to be fun finding out. ❤️🐆 Enough of this. I need to Glue something!!!!! Here are the sprues. The detail is quite lovely. 😇 This. Is the mottled scheme I’ll be doing. Black bum too. 🥳 Look 👀Glue!!! There at the top it’s glue. 😇🥳🤣🤪 With this thing cast to the far reaches of the bench for a bit. I can get my teeth into this little beauty. 🤩 Look I had to file some bits. 😀 sorry, I’ll calm down in a sec. 🤪🤦‍♂️ Ahem. Right.... Office first. These bits went together easily, I was worried about the pin marks but the seats will cover those. See. 😀 The side instrument panels got added along with the pedals and a floor section. The detail for such a tiny kit is ace. this top section. Needed a little attention to get rid of the slight seam on the inside.( Easy peasy) The Front IP is like this. So with this in mind I positioned the kit part. Not a bad representation with paint and decals. There is a box in the rear part of the office that looks like this. The kit part had zero detail so I scratched some and glued it in place. The control column got a dry fit. As did the whole assembly thus far. Front. And rear. That is where we are as of tonight. I can tell you it’s been such a breath of fresh air, I’m loving it. Any issues that any of you know please pipe up, hopefully before I get to that particular bit. 😎🥳🤞 Hopefully as I said earlier some of you will tag along for this one. No huge plans just a nice fun start to the year with some history lessons thrown in for good measure. Thanks for popping in and as always. Happy Modelling. Johnny. 🙃

Hi All! I managed some time off for a week or two over the summer and found time to complete a few builds. Noting clever or complicated, just aiming to finish a few kits and imporve my finishing a bit. This was the first off the bench and pretty much the definition of a mojo-build and a few things learned.

Bf.109G-6 Erla Weekend Edition (84201) 1:48 Eduard With almost 34,000 examples constructed over a 10-year period, the Messerschmitt Bf.109 is one of the most widely produced aircraft in history, and saw active service in every theatre in which German armed forces were engaged. Designed in the mid-1930s, the Bf.109 shared a similar configuration to the Spitfire, utilising monocoque construction and a powerful Daimler Benz V12 engine, albeit an inverted V with fuel injection rather than a Rolls-Royce carburettor as used to power the Spitfire. Initially designed as a lightweight interceptor, like many German types during WWII, the Bf.109 evolved beyond its original brief into a bomber escort, fighter bomber, night fighter, ground-attack and reconnaissance platform. The Bf.109G series, colloquially known as the Gustav, was first produced in 1942. The airframe and wing were extensively modified to accommodate a more powerful engine, greater internal fuel capacity and additional armour. In contrast to early 109s, which were powered by engines delivering less than 700hp, some of the later Gustavs could output almost 2000hp with water injection and high-performance superchargers. The Gustav series accounted for a dizzying array of sub-variants, some of which featured a larger tail of wooden construction. Odd number suffixed aircraft had pressurised cockpits for high altitude operation, others were fitted with Erla Haube clear view canopy with clear rear head armour, underwing points for tanks, cannon or rockets and larger main wheels resulting in square fairings on the inner upper wings to accommodate them. The Kit This is a weekend reboxing of the G-6 variant of Eduard’s excellent Bf.109 Gustav range, eschewing the fancy pre-painted Photo-Etch (PE) and offering fewer decal options for the core plastic and a more pocket-friendly price-tag. The Erla name is usually associated with the improved visibility of the late-style canopy with reduced framework, but it also relates to the Erla factory at Flossenbürg that built many examples. Inside the box are four sprues of blue-grey styrene, one of clear parts, a pair of decal sheets, and a glossy instruction booklet, which is a step up from the older Weekend Editions, as are four decal options, up from the previous two. Construction begins with the cockpit, starting with the sloped L-shaped combined floor and aft bulkhead, adding twin trim wheels, seat-back, control column, then the clear fuel line, which is painted for the most part, leaving a short length clear to give the pilot a visual clue as to whether he’s about to get a sudden silence from his engine. The seat pan, rudder pedals and gun breech cover are also installed, adding four decal seatbelts, then completing the assembly with a forward bulkhead forming the foot well. The cockpit sidewalls are moulded into the interior of the fuselage halves, and has some additional equipment with decals fitted during the interior painting process, inserting the instrument panel with dial decal, and an optional 3x3mm piece of styrene from your stores glued to the bottom of the panel to accept a decal for the Rüstsatz 6 equipped decal options, holding instruments related to the cannon panniers. The fuselage is closed around the cockpit and spinner backplate, adding the exhausts into the nose before closure, and removing two small raised areas on the port cockpit sides for three decal options, and filling some access hatch panel lines on the starboard fuselage for three different options. The tail has the correct fin and rudder applied, with the elevators fitting on twin pegs to the sides. All the flying surfaces are separate with tabs fitting into recesses to allow deflection as you wish. The tail wheel is a single part that is trapped between a two-part yoke that is inserted under the fin in a recess. The forward fuselage is closed by adding a cowling insert over the top of the engine after installing the cannon trough parts underneath, applying Beule blisters into recesses over the gun bays, and a two-part intake trumpet for the supercharger. Two gun barrel tips are slid into the cowling troughs, and a hinge-line part is run along the split line of the two upper cowling panels, adding a rear stowage area behind the pilot to complete the area. The lower wing is full span out to the tip joint, and has four-part bay walls inserted around each of the two cut-outs, and a selection of holes depending on which decal option you have chosen, using the thinned inners as a guide to their locations. The upper wings have the tips moulded-in, and are laid over the lowers and glued down, inserting the fuselage in the gap between the roots. For some decal options the D/F loop base is removed at this stage, making good before moving on to fit the ailerons and leading-edge slats, the latter able to be posed closed by removing the short ridges from the inside so that they sit flush with the rest of the leading edge. Under the wing are the radiator fairings with front and rear radiator inserts included, plus a chin-mounted oil-cooler with a base, two radiator inserts and the exterior fairing. Behind the wing-mounted radiators are the twin-layer inner flap and cooling gills, and the outer flap parts, with their location and angle shown on a scrap diagram shown nearby. The landing gear legs are attached to the three-part wheels and captive bay cover, then inserted into the substantial sockets in the gear bays, needing only the brake hoses from a length of your own wire to complete them. Standing the model on its wheels, a clear gunsight is partly painted and glued into the instrument panel at the front of the cockpit, fixing the manual crank handle to the starboard side of the engine cowling if you wish to use it. The canopy opener has a curved piece of head-armour installed first, with a scrap diagram showing its orientation from the side, then a choice from two windscreen types is made, gluing one into the front of the cockpit, and the fixed rear glazing with two styles of aerial mast inserted into the hole at the back. The canopy can be fitted open or closed, adding a short length of wire to the sideways opening canopy to hold it in the open position. The decal option with a D/F loop has the loop inserted into the base, and there is an alternative pitot probe included on the sprues in case you’re a clumsy modeller (like me) and have knocked off the moulded-in part during the build. The prop is a single three-bladed part that is trapped between the spinner and back plate, then inserted into the hole in the nose to complete main construction, save for an antenna under the belly that is carried by two markings options, and requires a 0.5mm hole to be drilled before fitting. There are two styles of drop-tanks included, one of which has a tapered underside for improved ground-clearance, mounting on a four-pronged flattened pylon, and a pair of cannon pods are also in the box, made from two halves plus the barrel, and these are carried by two of the markings options. Markings Four markings options are included, so you have a choice of interesting schemes for your Gustav, as follows: Bf.109G-6, Hptm. Heinrich Ehrler, CO of 6./JG5, Alakurtti, Finland, July 1943 Bf.109G-6/R6, W.Nr.15367, Oblt. Herwig Zuzic, CO of 8./JG1, Leeuwarden, The Netherlands, July 1943 Bf.109G-6, W.Nr.15909, Hptm. Gerhard Barkhorn, CO of II./JG52, Anapa, The Soviet Union, September 1943 Bf.198G-6/R6, W.Nr.26048, Obtl. Friedrich Brock, 8./JG54, Ludwigslust, Germany, January 1944 The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Conclusion The Weekend Edition's timescale may be a little optimistic for most modellers' speeds, but it's a great way of picking up one of Eduard's new 109s for a good price, and with four decal options in these latest boxings, it’s now even better value. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Me.410A-1 Upgrade Sets (3DL72027 & 73817 for Airfix) 1:72 Eduard The new 1:72 Messerschmitt Me.410A-1 from Airfix has been a resounding success with modellers, and it’s a nice kit straight out of the box. If you’re an inveterate upgrader however, Eduard's new range of sets are here to improve on the kit detail in the usual modular manner. Get what you want for the areas you want to be more of a focal point. As usual with Eduard's Photo-Etch (PE) and Mask sets, they arrive in a flat resealable package, with a white backing card protecting the contents and the instructions that are sandwiched between. Upgrade Set (73817) Two frets are included, one nickel-plated and pre-painted, the other in bare brass. A complete set of new layered instrument panels, side consoles, radio gear on the rear bulkhead, and sidewall details with added levers for the cockpit and the extensive instrument panel for the rear cabin are in full colour; head armour behind the seat, requiring removal of the chunky styrene part from the bulkhead; a set of four-point seatbelts for the pilot and lap belts for the gunner; new rudder pedals with an ancillary instrument panel between them; detailing of the cockpit sidewalls with instruments, controls and other parts. Moving outside the cockpit are radiator core inserts with PE cooling flaps in the rear of the fairings, plus actuators; flare-hiders are curved around the exhausts on the port side of the engine, and straight parts on the starboard side; a latch to operate the door closure mechanism on the tail wheel, requiring removal of the chunky kit representation; PE oleo scissor-links and a bracket to each main gear leg; two towel-rail antennae that fit under the fuselage; two hand-grips on the port side of the cockpit to aid the crew entering and exiting their aircraft; trim tab actuators on the rudder and elevators to finish the set. SPACE 3D Printed Cockpit Decals (3DL72027) The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin, and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. The 3D printed decals cover the side consoles, instrument panel segments, radio wall on the rear bulkhead, and other small parts on the sidewalls, while the PE sheet covers the crew belts for both pilot and gunner, four-points for the pilot, and lap-belts for the gunner, adding rudder pedals to the front of the cockpit, and the box between them that holds a selection of instruments, those provided by a 3D decal that is applied to the front. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109G-10 WNF/Diana ProfiPACK (82161) 1:48 Eduard There must have been billions of words written on the Bf.109 over the years, which was the mainstay of the Luftwaffe's fighter arm, despite having been supposedly superseded by the Fw.190 and others during its service life. It kept coming back to prominence due partly to it being a trusted design, the manufacturer's sway with the RLM, and the type's ability to be adapted as technology advanced. The G or Gustav as it was known was one of the later variants, and is widely regarded as one of the more successful variants, with improved armament that give some variants a distinctive pair of blisters in front of the windscreen, plus mounting points for the 210mm rocket tubes used to disrupt the bomber streams in long range attacks using timed detonation. The other minor changes were targeted at defensive means, removing the mounting points and hardware for long-range tanks etc. The G-10 was fitted with the new DB605D-2 engine that was later seen on the K, and became the de facto standard Gustav once introduced, often using unfinished G-14s as the starting point, which has confused some researchers in the past. It was fitted with the sleek Erla-Haube canopy and a deeper oil cooler under the nose that sets it apart from previous issues along with some small blisters just forward and below the exhaust stacks. It also had a swept-forward installation of the radio antenna under the wing leading edge, all of which you can see on the box art, although whether it will survive the attack by the Russkis on the box art is a matter for conjecture. The Kit This boxing depicts airframes that were manufactured at the Wiener Neustädter Flugzeugwerke (WNF) and in the underground ‘Diana’ factory that was built in a disused railway tunnel in Moravia, and as you can imagine, it shares some sprues with other Gustav boxings from Eduard. With this being a ProfiPACK issue, it arrives in the gold-themed box, with four sprues of grey styrene, a clear sprue, a fret of pre-painted nickel-plated Photo-Etch (PE), a sheet of yellow kabuki-style masking material (not pictured), two decal sheets separated into markings and stencils, plus of course the instruction booklet printed in colour on glossy paper. Detail is on a par with any of Eduard's other 109 offerings, including fine surface detail, cockpit and gear bays that are up to a high standard, and accessories that will allow the modeller to personalise their model in line with their chosen decal option. Construction begins in the cockpit, with PE and styrene parts installed into the combined floor and rear bulkhead, plus a clear fuel feeder pipe so you can mask the vision port and paint the rest, tinting the clear section a suitable fuel colour. This was a simple way for the pilot to quickly check whether his engine was sucking vapours, or was faltering for some other reason. PE seatbelts are included, and a choice of PE or styrene rudder pedals, depending on which you prefer. The instrument panel is laminated from layers of pre-painted PE, with glossy, slightly domed dials already present on the rearmost layers. The sidewalls too are decorated with more painted PE parts, after which you can close the fuselage unless have some additional aftermarket to apply. The backplate for the spinner and exhaust stubs are installed with a choice of shrouded or un-shrouded exhausts by using different parts. The top cowling with separate gun trough inserts is glued into place along with the intake for the engine's supercharger, a PE hinge section on the top centre of the cowling, gun barrel muzzles, and optional PE flash-hiders for the exhausts. The G-10 had an extended wooden fin, which is a separate insert, breaking at a convenient panel line and adding the rudder behind it. The elevator fins are each two parts and fit using pins, with separate elevators and the tail-wheel on a short strut that locates in a depression under the fuselage. The wing undersides are full-span, adding main gear sidewalls and drilling out two 0.5mm holes for the central rack if you intend to use it. The upper wings have a long blister from the leading edge toward the rear to accommodate the wider wheels, and the uppers glue over the lower, incorporating the single-thickness tips and a pitot-probe in the port wingtip. Under one wingtip a clear part is inserted into a recess and masked to represent a clear insulator for an underwing antenna that will be installed later. Masks are included for this and for the wingtip lights moulded into the wings, and a jig is supplied to help you scribe a pair of small rectangular panel lines in front of the cockpit opening. With the wings mated to the fuselage, separate leading-edge slats (gravity deployed when stopped) are fitted that can be posed retracted for flight by removing the short supports from inside the slats. The ailerons slide into the trailing-edge of the wing on two slots, so can be deflected if you wish, moving on to the radiator bays, which have PE skins front and back, as does the chin-scoop under the nose. The radiator fairings and two-layer combined flaps/cooling flaps are added, a scrap diagram showing the correct positioning of the flaps when they are deployed. The main gear is the same narrow-track struts from earlier models, with separate fatter tyres and hubs, plus captive bay doors, socketing into the bay using strong parts, and with hub masks included for easy painting of the demarcation. You have a choice of styrene or PE aerial for the underwing antenna that is rooted in the clear isolator, adding horn balances to the undersides of the ailerons, and a PE appliqué panel under the belly behind the wing’s trailing edge. As the build progresses, the clear gunsight is added after being partially painted, and if you add a little translucent green/blue to the edge to simulate the thickness of the glass, it will improve the look of the finished part. The windscreen has a couple of small PE parts added to it before you can glue it to the front of the squared-off cockpit opening, and the sleek Erla-Haube canopy has a windowed head armour part that will need masking from the enclosed sheet and painting before it is fitted. If you have treated yourself to a set of Tface masks that allow painting of both interior and exterior surfaces of the canopy, the additional interior detail parts added will gel nicely with this improvement. An optional stubby aerial fits to the top rear of the canopy for one decal option, and you have a choice of PE or styrene DF loop antennae further back down the spine. The canopy can be posed open by using the thin PE restraint that's included on the fret, which allows you to set the correct angle when open. The prop is a single part, which has the two-part spinner closed around it, after which you can either glue it in place, or leave it loose for travel and impromptu spinning if you prefer. Two types of two-part drop-tanks are supplied that attach on a four-prong mount under the centre of the fuselage, inserting a small PE aerial under the belly just behind the appliqué panel placed earlier. Markings There are four marking options included in the box, with variety of late war camouflage schemes that involves heavy use of mottle. The main sheet contains all the national, unit, and theatre markings, while the smaller sheet is full of stencils, which are detailed on a separate page to avoid cluttering each full page set of profiles. You get spinner decals for one option, so you're not left wondering how on earth you're going to do them. From the box you can build one of the following: Bf.109G-10/U4, II./JG52, Brno, Protektorat Böhmen und Mähren, April 1945 Bf.109G-10/U4, W.Nr.612769, 101. Vadászezred, Neubiberg Airfield, Germany, May 1945 Bf.109G-10/U4, W.Nr.611048, II./JG52 Neubiberg Airfield, Germany, May 1945 Bf.109G-10/U4, Jasta 5 der ROA, Nemecky Brod, Protektorat Böhmen und Mähren, April 1945 The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Conclusion It’s an excellent kit, but you probably already know that. It comes with some quality details, and some unusual decal options that you may not have seen before – plus it’s a Gustav. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Gustav Pt.2 Limited Edition Dual Combo (2145) Bf.109G-10 WNF/Diana ProfiPACK 1:72 Eduard With almost 34,000 examples constructed over a 10-year period, the Messerschmitt Bf.109 is one of the most widely produced aircraft in history, and saw active service in every theatre in which German armed forces were engaged. Designed in the mid-1930s, the Bf.109 shared a similar configuration to the Spitfire, utilising monocoque construction and Daimler Benz V12 engine, albeit an inverted V with fuel injection rather than a Rolls-Royce carburettor as used to power the Spitfire. Initially designed as a lightweight interceptor, like many German types during WWII, the Bf.109 evolved beyond its original brief into a bomber escort, fighter bomber, night fighter, ground-attack and reconnaissance platform. The Bf.109G series, colloquially known as the Gustav, was first produced in 1942. The airframe and wing were extensively modified to accommodate a more powerful engine, greater internal fuel capacity and additional armour. In contrast to early 109s, which were powered by engines delivering less than 700hp, some of the later Gustavs could output almost 2000hp with water injection and high-performance superchargers. The Gustav series accounted for a dizzying array of sub-variants, some of which featured a larger tail of wooden construction. Odd number suffixed aircraft had pressurised cockpits for high altitude operation, Erla Haube clear view canopy with clear rear head armour, underwing points for tanks, cannon or rockets and larger main wheels resulting in square fairings on the inner upper wings to accommodate them. The Kit This is a new boxing from Eduard of their recent tooling in this scale, and it is boxed as part two of a two-part series of Gustav kits as a Limited Edition, with two kits in the box, hence the Dual Combo tag in the top right of the lid. It arrives in a top-opening box with a dramatic painting of a brace of Gustavs in a clouded wintery sky. Inside the box are two of each of the three sprues in grey styrene, two clear sprues, four frets of Photo-Etch (PE), two in bare brass, two nickel-plated and pre-painted, a sheet of kabuki-tape pre-cut masks (not pictured), plus the instruction booklet, printed in colour on glossy paper with the ten decal option profiles on the rearmost pages. The booklet also includes a detailed discussion of the development of the Bf.109E onwards, covering all major variants separately and spanning five pages in total, with several drawings pointing out the salient changes between them, which is interesting and useful in itself. Detail on the sprues is excellent, to a similar standard as their 1:48 scale kits within limitations of size. For instance, the rudder pedals have been moulded into the cockpit floor, but they have been done using a punch-through mould that still allows them to sit at an angle to the deck without an ugly wedge behind them. It’s all very clever stuff that will result in a better model for us. Remember throughout that there are two kits in the box, and that each sprue is doubled-up, and it’s only the main decal sheet that isn’t. Construction begins with the afore mentioned cockpit floor, which has a rolled forward edge, and is detailed with a trim wheel and chain, adding the seat back, control column, replacement PE rudder pedals if you wish, the cannon breech fairing between the pedals, and a full set of crew seatbelts. The instrument panel can be made with styrene and decals or by using the pre-painted PE parts, which have an additional panel section for some decal options, and a choice of two styles of gunsight on top. The finished panel is mounted on a support that is painted cockpit colour, then is fixed to a recess on the front of the cockpit floor, putting it to one side while the fuselage is prepared. The basics for the cockpit sidewalls are moulded into the fuselage interiors, adding a large insert to the starboard that has either three PE parts or decals applied, and has the clear fuel line wrapped around it, painting the majority of the pipe interior colour, leaving a short length transparent as a visual guide for the pilot whether fuel is still flowing. The port side is upgraded with several smaller parts, cutting off one box for decal option C, which also has some changes on the opposite side. before closing the fuselage, there are some minor line filling tasks, depending on which decal option you have chosen, removing some raised portions around the cockpit opening, and filling a panel line near the front of the engine cowling. A choice of standard or extended fin inserts slides into a socket in the tail, closing the fuselage halves together and dealing with the seams once the glue is fully cured, remembering that the 109 had some panel lines top and bottom. The cockpit can then be slipped in from underneath, adding the correct rear bulkhead for your decal option, the Beule blisters in front of the cockpit, and a choice of two top engine cowling inserts, again depending on which decal option you have chosen. There is a little more filling of access panels on the aft fuselage for some decal options, then a choice of two styles of exhausts with an optional PE exhaust flare hider on both sides, plus a three-part supercharger intake trumpet on the port side. The elevators are a single span part that is slotted into the rear of your chosen tail fin, trapped in place by a suitable rudder fin, which can be adjusted to be deflected if you choose. Two decal options have the trim-tab removed from the upper trailing edge of the rudder. The lower wings are full-span out to the tip joint, and a pair of wall inserts are placed in to create the main gear bays, with a few holes drilled in the wing for some decal options. The upper wings are in halves, and have gear bay roof detail moulded-in, with separate leading-edge slat that can be retracted or deployed by removing or retaining the tab behind it. The ailerons are also separate, mounting on tabs, with the option of deflecting them, adding clear tip lights to each wing. Flipping the model over, PE radiator grilles are applied to the front and rear of the bath areas, covering them with the cowlings that have moulded-in cooling flaps that can be bent downward if you plan on posing the radiators in the open position. The chin intake is also fitted with grille inserts before the cowling is applied over it, and it is fixed in the space under the nose. Finally, flaps are inserted into the rear of the wing at the same angle as the cooling flaps. The 109’s narrow-track landing gear was the source of many a nose-over event, and they are each created from a single strut with a strong mounting-point at the top, fitting the three-part wheel, PE brake hose, and the captive bay door to each one, choosing a tail-wheel suitable for your decal option that inserts in a hole under the tail. Horn-balances are fixed in depressions under the ailerons, adding an optional aerial under the belly, and another under the port wing, removing the panel lines if it isn’t required. Some markings options have a small hole drilled under the nose, and if you intend to use the manual engine cranking handle, a 0.5mm hole will need to be drilled in the cowling to accommodate the handle as indicated on the starboard side, just in front of the Beule blisters. Many of the decal options have the later Erla-Haube canopy that has reduced framing to the canopy to improve the pilot’s situational awareness, which also reduces the number of clear parts down to two. The windscreen has a PE frame added to its rear before it is glued in, while the main canopy has the head armour and bar applied across the rear, with an optional short aerial on top at the rear. It can be glued in closed or open with a retention wire from PE, plus another choice of aerial and DF loop to keep you on your toes. A scrap diagram shows the location of the wire’s ends to give you some help. The prop is the same whichever canopy you choose, made from a single set of three blades sandwiched between the spinner and back-plate. This leads us to the traditional framed canopy, which has one of the same windscreen parts and PE frames, with a fixed aft section that has an aerial inserted into the roof. The opener has armour and cross-bar inserted in the same manner as the Erla canopy, adding a latch to the forward sill, which will require a short length of styrene rod from your stores to make the handle. It too can be posed closed or open, using the same PE retention wire as before. An actuator is attached to the rudder on the starboard side for some decal options. There is a good choice of weapons and tanks for your new model, with a choice of two external tanks on an oval pylon that is sited between the wings on the belly. Cannons in fairings can also be built from two halves plus the barrels for under the wings, just outboard of the main gear bays, but these are only appropriate for two decal options, sadly. There is also a bomb on a longer pylon with two sway-braces, with an optional level of detail. The simpler option utilises the two bomb halves, adding a perpendicular fin on a slot, and a square frame at the rear. The more complex and detailed option removes the moulded-in fin from the bomb halves, substituting it for a pair of PE fins glued to the rear, plus four PE stabilisers to the rear of the fins. The bomb is only used for decal option B though, which again is a shame. Markings There are a generous ten decal options on the large sheet, and two stencil sheets that have their locations noted separately to avoid confusion with the other decals. From the box you can build two of the following: Bf.109G-6/R6 W.Nr.160303, Hptm. Freidrich Eberle, CO of III./JG1, Volkel, The Netherlands, November 1943 – January 1944 Bf.109G-6/R1, Lt. Max-Bruno Fischer, Stab II./JG3, Evreux-Fauville, France, June 1944 Bf.109G-6, Lt. Anton Hafner, CO of 10./JG51, Tilsit-East, Soviet Union, August 1944 Bf.109G-14, Hptm. Erich Hartmann, BO of I./JG53, Veszprém, Hungary, February 1945 Bf.109G-6, W.Nr.165267, Majuri Eino Luukkanen, 1./HleLv 34, Taipalsaari, Finland, July 1944 Bf.109G-14, Oblt. Rolf Schlegel, 10./JG4, Jüterbog-Damm, Germany, March 1945 Bf.109G-14, W.Nr.465437, Hptm. Franz Dörr, CO of III./JG5, Gossen, Norway, May 1945 Bf.109G-14/U4, W.Nr.512382, Lt. Horst Schlick, 4./JG77, Schönwalde, Germany, November 1944 Bf.109G-14, W.Nr.464380, Maggiore Mario Bellagambi, CO of 5° Squadriglia, 2° Gruppo Caccia ANR, Osappo, Italy, March 1945 Bf.109G-14, W.Nr.782205, Lt. Antal Szebeni, 101/5, Vadászszázad MKHL, Börgönd, Hungary, October 1944 The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. The set includes pre-cut kabuki-tape masks for the canopies of both models, plus masks for the main wheels and tail wheels, and extras for the pilot’s head armour and the wingtip lights. Conclusion There is excellent detail throughout, and wide choice of sub-variants that include Rüstsatz, or field modifications that personalise the aircraft to the mission in hand. What’s more, there are two of them, so if you’re having problems deciding, all you must do is narrow it down to two! Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109T-2 Toni over the North Sea (AZ7874) 1:72 AZ Model by Kovozávody Prostějov The Messerschmitt Bf.109 was certainly the most numerous, and probably the best known of all the aircraft used by the Luftwaffe during the Second World War. Almost 34,000 examples were produced between 1937 and 1945, and the type saw active service in every theatre in which German armed forces were engaged. Driven initially by the relatively low powered Junkers Jumo engine, and later by various iterations of the more powerful Daimler Benz DB600 series of inverted V-12 engines, the later variants of the Bf.109 could achieve speeds of up to 400mph. When Germany first laid down the ill-fated Aircraft Carrier DKM Graf Zeppelin in 1936, the question of its complement of aircraft was already settled. It would carry a variant of the Bf.109 as a fighter, and the doughty Ju.87 Stuka as bomber, and as such was engineered with those airframes in mind, averting the need to have folding wings that add weight to an aircraft. The 109 was given the variant T for Träger, which mean Carrier in English. It had extended wings with larger flying surfaces, plus a tail-hook and catapult launch gear for taking off and landing on carriers. The T-1 was the first airframe to be completed, and underwent catapult tests before it was ordered in small numbers. With the cancellation of the carrier, those airframes were apportioned elsewhere, and a T-2 variant was created without the carrier specific components. Some of the T-1s were cross-graded to T-2 standard, which found their way to Norway with 11./JG 11, and when the carrier project was temporarily re-started it was decided that the T was outdated by then, so an alternative was sought. That too was re-assigned in a remarkable chronologically close case of history repeating itself, while the T-2s continued in service in Norway until mid-1944, after which time any remaining airframes were used as trainers. As far as we know none of them survived the war or the culling of Axis hardware that followed it, but if you extended the wings of a full-sized Bf.109E-4/N that you happened to have lying around with the DB601N engine, you’d be 90% of the way there. The Kit This boxing is based on a 2020 tooling from AZ Model, and it arrives in a small end-opening box with three sprues of grey styrene, a small separately bagged clear sprue, two decal sheets, and instruction booklet that are printed on both sides of a folded A4 sheet. Detail is good, and extends into the cockpit and wheel bays, as well as finely engraved panel lines with judicious use of riveting where they are most prominent on the real airframe. You may have noticed that there are two sets of wings, because the main sprue holds many of the parts that will be needed to complete the model, while the correct wing parts with longer span are moulded on a new sprue on their own. Construction begins predictably with the cockpit, adding decals to the instrument panel and detail painting the sidewalls that are moulded into the fuselage interiors. A double trim wheel is made up, the control column detail painted with three shades, then the seat with decal seatbelts is inserted on the rails in the cockpit rear, mounting the adjustment mechanism on the port side, which also has the trim wheels sited there. The instrument panel is fitted to the front bulkhead and glued in place along with the control column, painting and installing the gunsight to add to the centre of the coaming. The propeller is moulded as a three-bladed part that is sandwiched between the spinner and back-plate, with a choice of two spinner types, one without the centreline cannon installed. The cockpit is glued into the starboard fuselage half after painting the interior and inserting the two air-path parts in the nose for the chin-mounted oil-cooler before bringing the fuselage halves together, taking care that the inserts line up properly. The lower wings are full-span save for the tips, and have separate radiator faces fitted inside, while the new upper wings are in longer halves and have bay structure moulded-in, requiring a little detail painting as you go, sliding the completed assembly into the cut-out in the lower fuselage, ensuring that there is the required dihedral on both sides, which should leave both wingtips 10mm from the ground when the model is placed upright on a flat surface, although whether this remains true given the longer wingspan, I don’t know, as it’s a standard diagram. You could use the standard wings as a marking guide to place supports for measuring near the tip of the extended parts. The main wheel legs are each single parts with a wheel placed on the axle at the bottom, and a captive gear bay door glued to the inner face, plugging into the inner end of the gear bays under the wing, which was a source of the type’s instability on the ground, leading to many nose-overs and associated embarrassment. A scrap diagram from the side shows the forward canting of the gear legs once installed. An insert over the engine cowling is prepared by adding a pair of gun barrel stubs linked together on a carrier from inside the troughs. The cowling is installed over the engine along with the prop to the front, plus the air-intake fairing on the port side of the cowling, and a tail-wheel with moulded-in strut. A pair of wing-mounted cannons are slotted into holes in the leading-edge, just outboard of the prop’s rotation. A belly-mounted fuel tank or bomb can be fitted, and the instructions note that its mount is offset to one side, making the tank or bomb from two halves if you intend to use either option. If not, the underside is completed by a pitot-probe under the port wing, and mass-balance horns on the ailerons. With the model on its wheels, the single-part canopy is installed with extra armour externally using a non-fogging glue, adding an aerial to the aft portion, and slotting the elevators into the sides of the tail fin, supporting them with diagonal struts from underneath. Markings There are three decal options on the sheet, and the profiles can be found on the rear of the box, in variations that make heavy use of mottling. If the kit has been dispatched to a locale where that Swastika symbol is frowned upon under law, the corner of the sheet will have been snipped off, otherwise it’s up to you whether you apply them for historical accuracy or not. From the box you can build one of the following: The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Conclusion Those that often complain about “another 109” might just like this one, as it’s not a standard option, and its longer wings will be evident when positioned next to a more standard 109 in the cabinet. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

1/72 Messerschmitt Bf 109 line as part of the Eduard 1/72 revolution Bf 109F-2/F-4/G-2/G-4 versions confirmed - in 3D construction source: http://ipmsnymburk.com/forum/viewtema.php?ID_tema=11559 post 26531) 26.06.2015-13:08 S.199 is confirmed as a future release for later time with the 1/72 MiG-21 line

New RS Models kits will be 1/48th Messerschmitt P.1101: - ref. 48009 - Messerschmitt P.1101 - https://www.rsmodels.cz/p/421/48009-me-p-1101 - ref. 48010 - Messerschmitt P.1101 - Nightfighter - incl. antennas PE set - https://www.rsmodels.cz/p/422/48010-messerschmitt-me-p1101 Source: https://www.facebook.com/RSModels.cz/posts/pfbid0AhKZaQXMWPdudHyDA8wSnXrKbV4TdG6zV2P3suUvbr4npczbWYmkye7hEPPGViTMl Box art, schemes & decals 1. Messerschmitt P.1101 - 1./JG51, 1946 2. Messerschmitt P.1101 - 9./JG52, 1946 3. Messerschmitt P.1101 - Czechoslovakia, 1947 1. Messerschmitt P.1101 - NJG1, Luftwaffe, 1946 2. Messerschmitt P.1101 - NJG3, Luftwaffe, 1946 3. Messerschmitt P.1101 - testing aircraft, Great Britain, 1946 V.P.

Story time! I went today to get my second dose of the COVID vaccine, only to be informed I had the appointment booked for the 1st of August. I then went to a cafe, and while looking at my Facebook group, I found that a hobby shop near me was selling second hand Hasegawa 1:48 kits. They also offered a 10% discount if the model was paid in cash. I promptly asked the seller to reserve me the Bf 109K-4. The kit came without the main sprue bags, but all the pieces were there. The clear parts were bagged, and the decals, though a bit yellowed, were in top shape. Once I arrived home with my new model, I checked the marking options. There're two provided, Yellow 4 of Feldwebel Strebel, and Yellow 1 of JG27 (with the green RVD band). I first selected the JG27 scheme because it had an RLM 81/82/76 camouflage, but after looking for photos for it (none showed up), I stumbled upon a Bf 109K-4 numbered 332700. This 109 is mostly anonymous, no special markings nor numbers, only a black "700" hastily painted on both fuselage halves. After practising a bit with a fine brush and some black paint, I decided to go ahead with "700," because it has plenty of RLM 81 areas. Here're the photos: Here's a photo of "332700," no wings though, so there'll be plenty of guessing with this aircraft. Maybe I'll just paint the undersides in RLM 76, because my 84 is too thin and needs several coats.

Dragon Models is working on a new tool 1/48th Messerschmitt Bf.109E kit - ref. DR5550 Sources: http://platz-media.com/blog/2019/09/22/2019-ahs-dragon/ http://www.platz-hobby.com/products/9386.html V.P.

Bf.109G-6 with W.Gr.21 (AZ7862) 1:72 AZ Model by Kovozávody Prostějov With almost 34,000 examples manufactured over a 10-year period, the Messerschmitt Bf.109 is one of the most widely produced aircraft in history, and it saw active service in every theatre in which German armed forces were engaged. Designed in the mid-1930s, the Bf.109 shared a similar technical configuration to the Spitfire, employing monocoque construction and V12 engine, albeit an inverted V with fuel injection rather than a carburettor used in the Spit, and a much more angular outline. Initially designed as a lightweight interceptor, like many German types during WWII, the Bf.109 evolved far beyond its original brief into a bomber escort, fighter bomber, night fighter, ground-attack and reconnaissance platform. The Bf.109G series, colloquially known as the Gustav, was first produced in 1942. The airframe and wing were extensively modified to accommodate a more powerful engine, greater internal fuel capacity and additional armour. In contrast to early 109s, which were powered by engines delivering less than 700hp, some of the later Gustavs could output almost 2000hp with water injection and high-performance superchargers. The Gustav series accounted for a dizzying array of sub-variants, some of which featured a larger tail of wooden construction. Odd number suffixed aircraft had pressurised cockpits for high altitude operation, Erla Haube clear view canopy with clear rear head armour, underwing points for tanks, cannon or rockets and larger main wheels resulting in square fairings on the inner upper wings to accommodate them. The K series or Kurt replaced the Gustavs, and was an attempt by the RLM to standardise production after the myriad of Gustav sub-variants, adding large rectangular blisters on the upper wings to accommodate wider wheels, and a more powerful variant of the DB engine that could propel it to around 440mph on a good day with the right fuelling. Despite the difficulties experienced in manufacture at that late stage of the war, a few thousand of them were produced before the end, although the lack of well-trained pilots at that stage was more of an issue. The Kit This is a reboxing of AZ’s original tooling from 2014, with some new parts along the way, and the inclusion of the newly tooled weapons and accessories set that we reviewed recently here to add value to the package. It’s a well-detailed kit with deeply moulded features in the cockpit sidewalls, details in the wheel wells, and subtle exterior detail too. It arrives in a small end-opening box with an attractive painting of the subject matter sporting a red tulip nose on the front, and the decal option profiles on the rear. Inside are three sprues in grey styrene, a tiny clear sprue in its own Ziploc bag, two decal sheets and the instruction booklet. You will need to pay attention to the sprues and instruction steps, as there are several variants catered for on the sheet, so take care which parts you use to prevent mistakes. Construction begins with the cockpit, which is well-detailed as previously mentioned, consisting of the floor with rear bulkhead, seat base, rudder pedals, control column, trim wheels, gunsight, a well-recessed instrument panel (sadly no decal), and the afore mentioned moulded-in side wall detail, plus the forward bulkhead, which has the cannon-breech cover inserted before it is added to the front of the assembly, onto which the rudder pedals fit. It is glued into the starboard fuselage half when completed, and the exhaust stacks are slipped through the slots in the cowling on both sides ready to be closed. There is a top cowling insert added later to complete the fuselage, which has the two nose machine gun troughs and a pair of gun barrels moulded-in. The G-6 has an additional flash hider on the port exhausts, and an oil-cooler bay under the nose, adding radiator cores into the wing-mounted bays, trimming where necessary. The lower wing is full-width except for the tips, which are moulded into the upper surfaces for fidelity, and these have the uppers glued over and the radiator flaps inserted, all of which gets a coat of RLM02 on the inside, like much of the interior. The wings and the fuselage are mated, then the landing gear is prepped, although they’re best left off the model until later. The struts have the scissor-links moulded-in, separate wheels and captive bay doors, using the skinnier tyres in preference to the later wide ones that are left on the sprue. A combined fin and rudder or separate fin and rudder can be applied to the rear, fitting the prominent Beule of the G series after removing a tab that was added in later marks, and head armour that is either moulded clear because it has a section of armoured glass in the centre, or solid. The elevators are both moulded as a single part, and attach to the tail in the usual slot and tab manner, then the prop with broad blades is made up with the appropriate front and back spinner parts, sliding into the hole in the flat front of the fuselage. The fixed tail wheel and a blanking insert for the bay are fixed under the rear, and the single-part clear framed canopy with angular framing covers the cockpit with a choice of two styles of aerial masts behind the cockpit. Aileron horn balances, additional cannons in fairings under the wings, an extra fuel tank on a pylon under the belly, plus a pitot probe at the tip of the port wing. The two-part supercharger air intake on the port side of the cowling is last to be fixed on its raised mounting. Weapons & Accessories Set The weapons & accessories included with this boxing adds extra value to the package that means you effectively get the aircraft for very little money. The set’s tooling is also brand-new, and we’ve reviewed it here recently. There you will find the W.Gr.21 rocket pods that can be fitted under the wings instead of the cannon fairings. These rockets were intended to be fired into the bomber stream semi-randomly, in the hope that the explosion would cause damage and panic the bombers into breaking formation, thus leaving them vulnerable to individual fighters to destroy. Note that the rockets were fitted to the wings with a distinctive nose-up attitude to take the line of flight and ballistic drop into account after firing. Markings There are three options on the main decal sheet, while the separate sheet contains all the stencils, which is good to see at this scale. From the box you can build one of the following: The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Conclusion Some interesting markings and camouflage options, including the famous red tulip motif on the nose of one. The detail on the kit is good, and the inclusion of the weapons & accessories set really increases the value, with ground equipment included to widen the appeal even more. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Hallo This two kits I have presently in progress. Both of them differ in a high variety from Eduard. You can see it easily. The assembling from the Tamiya kit is very strange. You have no clue what is on, if you are a newbie. If you are quite familiar with this type, you scratch your head by the weird ideas from Tamiya. You must stick on to 100% on the instruction! Like flying with the manual on your knees! To me, no fun, no relaxing time! Here is one mistake too, the fuel primer pump is the wrong side, since the instrument shows to the outer side, not to the pilot’s face. I turned it. Zvezda is much more easy to understand, makes sense. If some details are not so good as Tamiya, but much better than Eduard! The engine is not detailed much, but makes in many aspect sense! So have a look! In opposition to that my Eduard thread: TAMIYA ZVEZDA Happy modelling

1/48 Avia S-199 (post war Bf 109) is planed for next two or three years. source: http://modelforum.cz/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=95280&start=4005#p1897662 downscale to 1/72 is planed too (like all Eduard projects) but more years in future.

Bf.109K-14 Late (AZ7850) 1:72 AZ Model by Kovozávody Prostějov With almost 34,000 examples constructed over a 10-year period, the Messerschmitt Bf.109 is one of the most widely produced aircraft in history and it saw active service in every theatre in which German armed forces were engaged. Designed in the mid-1930s, the Bf.109 shared a similar configuration to the Spitfire, deploying monocoque construction and V12 engine, albeit an inverted V with fuel injection rather than a carburettor used in the Spit. Initially designed as a lightweight interceptor, like many German types during WWII, the Bf.109 evolved beyond its original brief into a bomber escort, fighter bomber, night fighter, ground-attack and reconnaissance platform. The Bf.109G series, colloquially known as the Gustav, was first produced in 1942. The airframe and wing were extensively modified to accommodate a more powerful engine, greater internal fuel capacity and additional armour. In contrast to early 109s, which were powered by engines delivering less than 700hp, some of the later Gustavs could output almost 2000hp with water injection and high-performance superchargers. The Gustav series accounted for a dizzying array of sub-variants, some of which featured a larger tail of wooden construction. Odd number suffixed aircraft had pressurised cockpits for high altitude operation, Erla Haube clear view canopy with clear rear head armour, underwing points for tanks, cannon or rockets and larger main wheels resulting in square fairings on the inner upper wings to accommodate them. The K series or Kurt was an attempt by the RLM to standardise production after the myriad of Gustav sub-variants, adding large rectangular blisters on the upper wings to accommodate wider wheels, and a more powerful variant of the DB engine that could propel it to around 440mph on a good day with the right fueling. Despite the difficulties experienced in manufacture at that late stage of the war, a few thousand of them were produced before the end, although the lack of well-trained pilots was more of an issue. The Kit This is a reboxing of AZ’s original tooling from 2014, with some new parts somewhere along the way. It’s a well-detailed kit with moulded-in equipment in the cockpit sidewalls, details in the wheel wells, and subtle exterior detail too, especially on the fuselage parts. It arrives in a small end-opening box with an attractive painting of the subject matter sporting a violet nose on the front, and the decal option profiles on the rear. Inside are three sprues in grey styrene, a tiny clear sprue in its own Ziploc bag, two decal sheets and the instruction booklet. You will need to pay attention to the sprues, as there are four fuselage halves in the box, due to the earlier G fuselage being on the same sprue as the wings, which will be needed. Construction begins with the cockpit, which is well-detailed as previously mentioned, consisting of the floor with rear bulkhead, seat base, rudder pedals, control column, trim wheels, gunsight, a well-recessed instrument panel (sadly no decal, despite the instructions mentioning one), and the moulded-in side wall detail, plus the forward bulkhead, which has the cannon-breech cover inserted before it is added to the front of the assembly. It is glued into the new starboard fuselage half when completed, and the exhaust stacks are slipped through the slots in the cowling on both sides ready to be closed. There is a top cowling insert added later to complete the fuselage, which has the two nose machine gun troughs and a pair of gun barrels on a carrier insert, a combined fin and rudder, while the fuselage has a smoothly faired side to that lacks the prominent Beule of the earlier G, and head armour that is moulded clear because it has a section of armoured glass in the centre. The lower wing is full-width except for the tips, which are moulded into the upper surfaces for fidelity, and these have the radiators depicted by front and rear faces inserted into the fairings after a little thinning, reducing their shape as per a set of scrap diagrams. The uppers are glued over and have the rectangular fairings laid over the previous half-moon blisters, and then you can paint the whole gear bays and insert the radiator flaps, which also get a coat of RLM66 on the inside, like most of the interior – I thought that the gear bays would still be RLM02, but what do I know? The wings and the fuselage are mated, then the landing gear is prepped, although they’re best left off until later. The struts have the scissor-links moulded-in, separate wheels and captive bay doors, using the wider tyres in preference to the earlier narrow ones that are left on the sprue. The elevators are both moulded as a single part, and attach to the tail in the usual slot and tab manner, then the prop with broader blades is made up with the appropriate front and back spinner parts, sliding into the hole in the flat front of the fuselage. The correct retractable tail wheel and two doors for the bay are fixed under the rear, and the single-part clear blown canopy with edge framing only on the canopy covers the cockpit with the D/F loop and fairing quite a way back down the spine. Aileron horn balances, chin intake, extra fuel tank and pylon or bomb, plus the outer bay doors are put on toward the end of the build, although many pilots would remove the outer doors in the field to save weight and reduce the number of things to maintain by two. The two-part air intake on the port side of the cowling is last to be fixed on its raised mounting. Markings There are three options on the main decal sheet, while the separate sheet contains all the stencils, which is good to see at this scale. From the box you can build one of the following: The decals are printed using a digital process and have good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. This means that the carrier film on their decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier film free, making the completed decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the carrier film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view, and saves a good quantity of precious modelling time into the bargain. Conclusion Some interesting markings and camouflage options that appear to be dated just after WWII, although a little research on both the named pilots indicates that Herman Graf went missing late in the war, while Willi Maximowitz was languishing in a Soviet gulag at the time he was supposed to be flying the violet-nosed option. Perhaps they’re what-if markings? Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

From Those decals were so stressful. They're barely adhering to the surfaces. If only I had my micro bottles here. If I had a little more time (we're now prepping for tomorrow's journey home) I'd paint over the exposed glue around the port side air intake, and on the gaps around the very poorly fitting canopy. I can't claim my camouflage painting skills are particularly good (and some of the darker top colour seemed to come off when applying the big decals), but still, I'm pretty pleased with the results bearing in mind how little equipment I had. J

Hallo Concerning: Canopy! Read it carefully, especially for people who are not familiar with the Bf-109! The instruction contains errors, which may spoil you your model. In detail, the canopy. On page #7 You see this. This items are only used for an Erla canopy or a vision improofed canopy. The models in this kit do have only the early hood of the Giustav! No variant for an Erla canopy in this kit! As shown in the instruction of the SDL 48014 SPACE item: And on page #9 the next error: Concerning the head armor plate. So far. Happy modelling

Hallo Has anyone proper drawings or photos of the oxygen regulator equipment? In a Messerschmitt Bf-109 Gustav. From version 2 onward to 14. I think they are all the same. Not sure about it. At the right side of the cockpit. In my books here I lack this details. Since I doubt about the details in my Eduard kits. Thanks in forward Happy modelling

My3dbase has released 1/48th and 1/72nd Messerschmitt P.1112 late version with HeS011 printed kits Source: https://www.my3dbase.com/shop/Messerschmitt-P-1112-late-version-with-HeS011-p546581109 V.P.

Bf.109F-4 Weekend Edition (84188) 1:48 Eduard The Bf.109 needs little introduction, suffice to say that it was the Luftwaffe’s mainstay frontline fighter throughout WWII, and went through many incarnations in the constant leapfrogging of technology in order to keep up with and in some cases surpass the allied fighters it was up against. The F variant was the second major redesign of the basic airframe, including a further uprated engine and the attendant strengthening of the airframe that required, plus adding rounded tips to the wings that remained for the rest of the 109’s career. It fought in small numbers toward the end of the Battle of Britain and was finally phased out of front-line service in 1942 to be replaced by the Gustav, some of the obsolete airframes used as Mistel chaperones, which was a dangerous task. The Kit This is a reboxing of Eduard’s recent tool that is based upon the original Emil tooling that was released as far back as 2013, as unbelievable as that might sound. The weekend Editions have traditionally been stripped-down basic kits with one decal option and nothing else, for the dedicated modeller to build and paint them over a weekend. They’ve clearly never met me! The kit arrives in a blue-themed Weekend top-opening box, and inside are four sprues of grey styrene, a clear sprue, instruction booklet and two decal sheets that contain four marking options plus a sheet that’s devoted to just the stencils. Detail is up to Eduard’s usual high standard, without the Photo-Etch (PE) that usually accompanies their ProfiPACK editions, which will doubtless please those that are PE phobic. Construction begins in the cockpit, with styrene details aplenty, plus a nice transparent fuel feeder pipe, which is clear so that you can mask the vision port and paint the rest. This was a lo-fi way for the pilot to quickly check whether his engine was sucking vapours, or had stalled for another reason. Seatbelt decals are included, and the instrument panel has a choice of a detailed panel to paint, or a flat panel to apply a decal to, although with plenty of softening solution, you could probably apply the decal over the raised details of the other panel if you wish. The sidewalls too are decorated with more decals, after which you can close the fuselage. Don't forget to trap the tail wheel between the halves, or you'll regret it later. The backplate for the spinner and exhaust stubs are installed, and the top cowling with gun inserts is glued into place along with the intake for the engine's turbocharger, a hinge section is fixed tothe top of the cowling, and flame-hiders exhausts that are pushed through from the inside on both sides. For the tropical options, a filter body is inserted into the turbocharger intake, wrapping a decal around the cylindrical section to depict the filter material. The elevator fins are each two parts and fit using pins, with separate elevators and rudder. The wings are based upon a full-width lower, adding main gear sidewalls and split upper wings, plus separate parts for the leading-edge slats (gravity deployed when stationary), ailerons, and the two-layer flaps that butt up to the back of the radiator bays, which have details engraved front and back, as does the chin-scoop. A scrap diagram shows the correct positioning of the flaps when they are deployed. The main gear is the same narrow-track stuff of earlier models, with separate tyres and hubs, plus captive bay doors, slotting into the bay snugly. Horn-balances are fitted to the ailerons to finish under the wings. In the cockpit, the gunsight is added from a partially painted (by you) clear part, and if you add a little translucent green/blue to the edge to simulate the thickness of the glass, it will improve the look of the finished part. The windscreen is glued into position, and the canopy has head armour inserted at an angle shown by the accompanying diagram, slotting in between the windscreen and fixed rear portion, the latter having an aerial inserted into the hole in the rear. The canopy can be posed open by adding a restraint from fine wire, and some decal options have additional armour applied to the front of the windscreen, which is best done with a non-fogging glue or clear varnish. The prop is a single part, which has the two-piece spinner clamped around it, after which you can either glue it in place, or leave it loose for travel and impromptu spinning if you like. Once painting is complete, a pair of strengthening straps are applied as decals under the tail on both side for two of the decal options only. Markings Contrary to Weekend Editions of yesteryear, this boxing has four decal options, with plenty of variation in colour and location of the airframes. From the box you can build one of the following: Bf.109F-4/Trop, Wnr.8673 Hptm. Hans-Joachim Marseille, CO of 3./JG27, Quotaifiya, Egypt, September 1942 Bf.109F-4, Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer, 8./JG54, Siverskaya, Soviet Union, 1942 Bf.109F-4/Z. Wnr.7420, Lt. Hermann A Graf, CO of 9./JG52, Kharkov-Rogan, Soviet Union, May 1942 Bf.109F-4/Trop, Wnr.10145, Fw. Rudolf Müller, 6./JG5, Petsamo, Finland, June 1942 The decals are printed by Eduard and are in good registration, sharpness and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut loosely around the printed areas. The stencils are on a separate sheet, and are marked on a page of the booklet, separate from the rest of the markings to avoid confusion from trying to read overly busy diagrams. Don’t forget that as of 2021, the carrier film from Eduard decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier-free, making the decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view. Conclusion A welcome re-release of this excellent kit without the bells and whistles that some folks don’t need or want. If you change your mind though, they’re available separately anyway for you to pick and choose. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Wingsy Kits is working on a new tool 1/48th Messerschmitt Bf.109E-1/-3/-4/-7 family of kits. My only comment: I'm not the investor, it's the model kit market that will decide the well or not well-founded of this choice. Source: in the comments https://www.facebook.com/Wingsykits/photos/a.961746970607307/2446782888770367/?type=3&theater V.P.

Bf.109G-6 SPACE Interior Set (3DL48100 for Tamiya) 1:48 Eduard Brassin The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. The main instrument panel is replaced entirely after removing the moulded-in kit detail, with a separate decal over the centre cluster of larger dials, and another small panel that has been supplied with a PE backing plate to suspend it from the underside of the main panel. Two more small decals complete filling in the remaining spaces on the panel. On the starboard sidewall is a trio of decals for the dials and stencils under the visible area of the fuel line, plus two more for the part beneath it, and another on the other side. The floor instrument boxes have their faces removed to accept another three tiny decals, then the remaining PE parts are used to create a full set of crew belts with comfort pads under the buckles, and add a few toggles and levers to the main instrument panel. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Calling for all Bf 109 exerten in the community to help on a question about the Emil. I am building two braile scale 109Es and I want to leave the cowling panels removable to show the engine bay and machine gun details. I've seen mulitple photos of the MG17s on the Emil where the barrels go through a separate cowling of sorts. Here are some examples, Franz von Werra's famous E-4 and another Luftwaffe 109E(-4?). Franz von Werra E-4 However, I've also seen photos of Emils whose MG17 do not have cowl over the barrels.. So am I somewhat confused and I can't quite figure out how the main cowling panel was installed on top. 🤔 Were these removed only for maintenance? Were they installed only on some subvariants or batches produced by a specific factory? And how do they interact with the main top cowling panel on the Emil, are they sort of inserts, does it cover them partially or completely?

Bf.109E-3 ProfiPACK (7032) 1:72 Eduard With almost 34,000 examples manufactured over a 10-year period, the Messerschmitt Bf.109 is one of the most widely produced aircraft in history and it saw active service in every theatre in which German armed forces were engaged. Initially designed in the mid-1930s, the Bf.109 shared a similar general arrangement with the Spitfire, employing monocoque construction and a V12 engine, albeit an inverted V with fuel injection rather than the carburettor used in the Spit. Initially designed as a lightweight interceptor, like many German types during WWII, the Bf.109 evolved beyond its original brief into a bomber escort, fighter bomber, night fighter, ground-attack and reconnaissance platform. The E variant, or Emil as it was more affectionately known was the first major revision of the original design, including an uprated engine and the attendant strengthening of the airframe that was required. It first saw service in the Legion Condor fighting in the Spanish civil war on the side of Nationalist forces of Military Dictator Franco, and then in the Battle of Britain where it came up against its nemeses the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane during the critical fight for the survival of the RAF and Britain, which was key to halting Operation Seelöwe, the invasion of Britain by the Nazis. Like the Spitfire it fought against, it was improved incrementally through different marks, the Emil was similarly tweaked to keep pace, with later variants having additional long-range tankage, plus structural improvements and a simpler squared-off canopy with clear frontal armour, but apart from various field modifications and a few low-volume sub-variants, it had reached the end of its tenure, and was phased out in favour of the Friedrich and later the Gustav. The Kit This is a reboxing of a recent kit in collaboration with Special Hobby in your favourite wee scale. It arrives in a modest top-opening box that has the ProfiPACK themed gold banner, and inside are two sprues of grey styrene, a fret of pre-painted nickel-plated Photo-Etch (PE), a sheet of pre-cut kabuki-style masking tape, two decal sheets and the instruction booklet printed in colour on glossy paper, and with profiles for the decal options on the rear pages. Detail is excellent, especially for the scale, and includes a lot of engraved panel lines and rivets in differing thickness and depths, as well as all the other recessed and raised details, plus engine and gun bays that you can expose as we’ve come to expect from Eduard and Special Hobby. Construction begins with nipping the ends off two raised lines on the cockpit front bulkhead, which is then glued to the floor along with a choice of styrene or PE rudder pedals, the latter shown being folded to assist you with the process. The sloped rear bulkhead is attached to the rear, and a box is made up in front of the bulkhead from three parts with details moulded on the sides. The seat and PE belts are slotted into the rear of the cockpit, and the instrument panel is made from the styrene backing part, which receives two sections of laminated PE along with some toggles and levers to detail it. It is then glued to the nose gun bay floor, which is prepared with a few PE parts installed on the diagonal ammo feeders for the cannons once the bay is attached to the front of the cockpit on the boxed in area. You can use a pair of barrel stubs on a cross-bar for the closed bay, or the full guns with breeches if you intend to leave the bay open. The engine is built around two halves, adding the serial decal and removing a small block of styrene from the rear before you add the ancillaries, supercharger and bell housing with horseshoe oil tank at the front, plus the two mounts and their braces on the sides. Before closing the fuselage halves, the cockpit interior sides are detailed with PE and styrene extras, painting things up as you go along, then a pair of inserts are places in the cowling behind the exhausts, the exhausts are inserted through their openings, and the engine, cockpit and tail-wheel are all trapped between them. If you plan on closing up all the bays, the top and gun bay cowlings can be glued in place along with the filter for the supercharger. At the rear, the rudder, elevators and their support struts are all installed on tabs and pins into their respective holes to ensure they are oriented correctly. The lower wings are full span, and the gear bay wall cut-outs are skinned with PE details, as are the surfaces of the radiators and the chin intake, which also gets skinned on each side of the trough that fits inside the fairing. The upper wings are brought in and glued over the lowers, and the three-section flying surfaces are installed on each trailing edge, with radiator fairings that have optional PE cooling vents glued over the cores. The fuselage and wings are mated together, adding the leading-edge slats, which should be deployed under their own weight when parked, and a gun barrel projecting from each wing. The canopy can be posed open or closed, consisting of a fixed windscreen that has PE detailing added, and rear section that accepts the antenna, then the canopy opener is prepared by inserting the head armour and a small PE lever inside, and deciding whether to glue it closed or open to the starboard side, held in place by a retaining strap made of PE. A scrap diagram shows how it should look from the front. The prop blades are moulded as one, and are sandwiched between the spinner and back-plate and inserted on the axle at the front of the fuselage, then all that is left to create are the main gear legs. Each leg is a single strut, and you should first remove the strap running down most of its length, replacing it with a PE brake hose, adding the captive bay door, and of course the wheel onto the short cross-axle. Another scrap diagram shows the correct orientation of the assemblies once complete. Fitting a pair of horn balances on the ailerons, and an L-shaped pitot probe under the port wing completes the plastic wrangling. Markings There are a generous six decal options on the sheet, with a variety of early war schemes to choose from. From the box you can build one of the following: W.Nr.1079, Ofw. Erich Rudorffer, 2./JG2, Baumont-le-Roger, France, September 1940 Oblt. August-Wilhelm Schumann, 5./JG52, Mannheim-Sandofen, Germany, November-December 1939 W.Nr.1380, Obstlt. Carl-Alfred Schumacher, CO of JG1, Jever, Germany, early 1940 Obstlt. Max Ibel, CO of JG27, Guines, France, September-October 1940 W.Nr.1271, Oblt. Helmut Heinz, CO of 4./JG77, Kristiandsand-Kjevik, Norway, September 1940 W.Nr.5058, Fw. Arthur Haase, 6./JG51, Marquise-West, France, August 1940 The decals are printed by Eduard and are in good registration, sharpness, and colour density, with a thin gloss carrier film cut close to the printed areas. The stencils are on a separate sheet, and are marked on a page of the booklet, separate from the rest of the markings to avoid confusion trying to read overly busy diagrams. Don’t forget that as of 2021, the carrier film from Eduard decals can be coaxed away from the printed part of the decal after they have been applied, effectively rendering them carrier-free, making the decals much thinner and more realistic, and obviating the need to apply successive coats of clear varnish to hide the edges of the film. It’s a great step further in realism from my point of view. Conclusion This is a highly detailed, comprehensive model of the early WWII variant of the Bf.109, complete with a good number of interesting schemes to choose from. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of

Bf.109G-14/AS 3D Printed Upgrade Set (3DL48092) 1:48 Eduard SPACE We reviewed Eduard’s recent boxing of their excellent Bf.109G-14/AS high-altitude fighter here, and in its ProfiPACK guise it includes PE instrument panels. If you have another edition that doesn’t have those upgrades, this set should be of interest, adding modern printing technology and detail to the cockpit. The Eduard SPACE sets use new 3D printing techniques that lay down successive layers of different colour resin, creating highly realistic almost full complete panels that are supplied on a decal sheet. They can depict metallic shades, plus glossy, satin and matt colours too, which really ups the detail on everything they print. In addition, a small sheet of nickel-plated and pre-painted PE is included for the aspects of the set that lend themselves better to this medium, such as seatbelts and rudder pedals. After removing the engraved detail from the floor next to where the seat will sit, the flat surfaces have three 3D printed decals added to replace and augment those areas, and when the seat is installed, it is then detailed by adding the four-point seatbelts, which also have comfort pads under the buckles, with little brackets attaching to the rear shelf giving a realistic location where the shoulder harnesses are held in place. The instrument panel is a straight replacement that is applied to the blank instrument panel that is on the sprues, laminating two main layers and a smaller central layer to complete the task. The cockpit sidewalls are also updated with several instrument faces after removing the moulded-in detail, one of which is held at an angle by a PE bracket. The oxygen regulator is also given a new face, and the remaining PE parts are added, along with a T-shaped toggle that’s inserted into the instrument panel. Conclusion I’m a huge fan of 3D printed instrument panels and their ilk, and look out for them whenever I start a new project. This set should give the already excellent Eduard kit an additional boost in detail that is well worth the effort and asking price. Highly recommended. Review sample courtesy of